AITA for firing my babysitter for getting drunk on the job?

A Reddit user shared a challenging experience with their teenage babysitter, who unknowingly drank hard seltzers while on the job, leading to an unsafe situation. Despite the babysitter’s remorse and claim of ignorance about the alcohol content, the user decided to let her go, prioritizing their children’s safety.

Read the full story below for all the details.

‘ AITA for firing my babysitter for getting drunk on the job?’

My (37F) babysitter (16F) has been babysitting for me for about 2 months. She’s a very sweet and quiet girl and is good with the kids (4F and 8M), we’ve only had small problems here and there but nothing major at all. When she first started babysitting for me I had asked her if there were any drinks or snacks that she’d like me to keep at the house as she’s here from 9-7 every day Monday through Saturday.

She mentioned that she really liked seltzer water and I had bought them for the first month, but honestly I forgot after a while and never kept any in the fridge. A few days ago I bought hard seltzer’s for me and my husband, and didn’t think anything of it.

A little bit after 2 pm she messaged me that she wasn’t feeling well and thought that she may have to go home, if it was possible if I could get off from work earlier. I asked her to try and hold out until the end of the day. Not too long after she called me crying, saying that something was wrong and she had to go home.

She was drunk clearly, she drank the hard seltzer’s. I told her to leave and she walked home. She messaged me the next day and said that she now knew that hard seltzer’s were alcohol, and she hadn’t know, she never drank before as both of her parents were alcoholics and she has diagnosed PTSD regarding alcohol, she never planned on drinking in general.

I told her not to come back as she put my children in danger. She called me crying and saying that she didn’t know, and that she cared deeply about my children and would never ever drink with them, or at all, and that she needs the money to pay for her drivers permit (she comes from a not so well off family).

I told her to find a real job and that it wasn’t my fault she got drunk. My husband says I’m being very rude and that she did try to reach out when she wasn’t feeling well. My kids are upset to see her go.. So reddit, AITA?

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Ehhlnoy −  You’re an ungodly a**hole. Those seltzers are newish in the alcohol world and I wouldn’t expect someone who hates alcohol to know that. How mature of her to let you know. How immature of you to do what you did. YTA.

sheramom4 −  YTA. This young woman works 60 hours a week (I hope you are paying her very very well for that), you asked her about snacks or drinks and then “forgot” for awhile, she saw what looked like seltzer water and made a mistake. And for all of her hard work you told her to get a real job?

She also immediately called you and said she wasn’t feeling well and your response was for her to stick it out for the day? What is wrong with you? Oh and you also made her walk home in the state. Which just adds to TA of all of this.

amiesaffle22 −  YTA she’s a child she didn’t know and your very rude about it she also called stating she wasn’t feeling right and you said to try and hold out. You put your children and that young girl in danger shame on you.

sphinxhonor −  YTA These are very unique circumstances, because in literally ANY other case of i**oxicated childcare worker, you’d be right. But she did every single thing properly in trying to be a good childcare provider. She reached out to you the moment things got weird and she didn’t feel entirely stable.

Honestly, if we’re being literal here and following the course of events, *you’re* the one who put your children in danger. She asked to go home and requested you take over a bit soon, and you told her no, and in that moment when you said no you became the reason your kids were around an i**oxicated childcare provider longer than they had to be.

She didn’t know, she needs the money, she’s done a good job and your kids love her. She followed all the protocol for being vigilant of her physical and mental status in regards to keeping the children safe, and that’s rare to find. She’s an excellent sitter, and you should rehire her and honestly apologize.

MsBaseball34 −  YTA. Big time. First of all, she’s working 10 hour days 6 days a week – that’s 60 HOURS. For a 16-year-old. Then you “forgot” to get her seltzer and put hard seltzers in the fridge. Did you ask her if she knew the difference? She sounds like a great kid who made a mistake. She’s lucky she’s done with such a horrible boss.

thefrenchphanie −  YOU ARE SO MUCH THE A**HOLE. She is 16. Asked for a specific drink, that you provided for a while and then forgot . She works for you 60+ hours a weeks. All of a sudden, her favorite drink shows up again in the fridge and she drinks some.

She calls later telling you ( the adult) that she is not feeling well and you decide to ask her to hold on. She calls again because she feels so bad, and THEN you realize she is drunk. Because of you. You showed zero concern for the safety of your kids and hers.. She got sick because of YOU.. You are liable on this completely.

She had the brain to call twice and you blame her for what is YOUR huge mistake ( which could have la des her in the hospital btw). She then calls to apologize (for something she has no idea she did because YOU basically booby trapped the drinks). And you have the gall to blame her???? You put your kids and her in danger, not her.

It is totally your fault she got drunk. You are lucky nothing serious happened to her or you kids You could still be charged with providing alcohol to a minor by the way.

Ouisch −  A 16-year-old who is at your house from 9 to 7 six days a week? Apparently she has dropped out of school….and for what? $1.60-something per hour and some free seltzer?? And just because a bunch of Redditors called you out you are suddenly going to quindecuple her weekly pay?

Arejhey311 −  Re: Edit #2 Hooooold up! You’ve had the means & ability to pay her $1,500 a week & had only been giving her $100?? How is it that with each comment / edit you continually manage to out-a**hole yourself?!

Dekar17 −  YTA – She didn’t know that hard seltzer water contained alcohol, she drank it, started not feeling well (maybe she didn’t know what getting drunk feels like) and called you, you ignored, she tried to remain calm, drank some more, got really drunk, called you for help once again, and you fired her. You put 2 kids in danger, not her.

keekeexd −  If you have enough money to pay her $1500 a week now then wtf were you doing before? OP should be in jail. The babysitter is probably a better parent to those kids than OP could ever be.

Was the decision to fire the babysitter justified, or was it an overreaction to an honest mistake? How would you handle this kind of situation while ensuring the safety of your children? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!